Process of separating the moisture from the constituent solids of liquids.



No. 860,929. PATENTED JULY 23, 1907.

L. 0. & I. s. MERRELL & w. B.GERE. PROCESS OF SEPARATING THE MOISTURE FROM THE GONSTITUENT SOLIDS 0P LIQUIDS.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 29. 1906.

' BY" MM,- /6WMOMLILXJ 04 T TUBA/E Y UNI ED 'STATE"PA'1ENTIOFF1OE.

on NEW YORK.

rnocnss or snranarme TEE nors'rrms FROM T E coNsTr'r'UEN'rsoLms or mourns.

To all whom 'it may concern: I

Be it known that we, LEWIS G. MERRELL, IRVING S. MERRELL, and WIL'LIAM B. GERE, all of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the Stateof New York, have jointly invented new and useful Improvements in Processes of Separating the Moisture from the Constituent Solids of Liquids, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description. This invention relates to process for separatingthe moisture from the constituent solids of liquids, and semi-liquids, and recovering such solids in the form oi a substantially dry powder, which may, by the addition of suitable moisture, be reconstituted into a liquid or semi-liquid possessing all of the characteristics of the original liquid or semi-liquid: and contemplates the commercial pulverization of animal, vegetable, including broadly, juices, pulps, eitractives, and highly organized substances, such as milk, eggs, medicaments, and substances containing ferments, living cells, or active' organisms, as yeast, diastase and pepsin; and any other liquid or semi-liquid, the solids of which it is desirable to reduce to dryness without changing their physical or chemical structure. 'The drawing represents a vertical section, partly in elevation, of the apparatus design d to carryout this process. Bhe material to be treated is supplied through a val-ved pipe 1, preferably heat-insulated, to a concentrating chamber 2, having a heating chamber 3, for receiving a heating agent, as steam, through a valved pipe 4. "A minus pressure is maintained in the dome, as 5, of the concentrating chamber by means of oneor more pumps 6, aided by a condenser 7, which is connected to the pumps by a pipe 8, and to the dome by a pipe 9. The condenser 7, is, in this instance, provided with a pendent pipe 10, of sufficient length so that the condensed water therein is capable of substantially counterbalancing atmospheric pressure to maintain a predetermined degree of minus pressure in the dome of the concentrating chamber, irrespective of the pumps, the excess condensed water being allowed to escape through a water-seal 11, at the lower end of the pipe 10. The minus pressure must be sufiicient to cause ebullition andconsequent separation and removal of moisture from the liquid at a predetermined temperature at which the liquid is to be concentrated. Thistemperature varies according to the nature of the material, as for example, certain albuminous liquids must be concentrated at a temperature of 138 F., or less, to pre-- vent coagulation. The liquid is constantly supplied to the concentrating chamber 2, and the moisture-vapor, produced by the ehullition, caused by the heating agent in conjunction with the minus pressure, is conbl. l.

Specification of Letters Patent. 'Applicatio'ri filed August 29,1906. swarm. 382,616.

flowing liquid is LEWIS o. MERRELL, IRVING s. MERRELL, AND wILLIA-MB. GERE, OF-SYRACUSE, NEW onit, ASSIGNORS TO MERRELL-SOULE COMPANY, OF SYRACUSE,- NEW YORK, A CORPORATION tinuously drawn into the condensing chamber 7 and discharged, as water, through the water-seal 11, or through the pumps 6, as may be desired. The liquid,

-freed from part of its moisture, is continuously withdrawn from the bottom of the concentrating chamber 2,

- through a pipe 12, by a pump 13, the eblillition serying to thoroughly mix the inflowing liquid with that already in the concentrating chamber so that the outtent'. v V The concentrating "chamber 2, has a pressuregage 14, and'a thermometer 15, to enable the attendant to ,maintain ebullition and regulate the-temperature to avoid impairment of the solubility, color, flavor and" other-natural characteristics of the solids which it may be desired to preserve; The concentrating chamber 2, is also provided with a sight-glass 16, to enable the attendant toobserve the ebullition and maintain anniform; quantity of liquid within, by regulating the inflow and outflow, thereby producing a practically uniform,

, reduction in the moisture-content of the outflowing' way draw-off cock 18, the latter serving,- in conjunction with valve 17, to permit samples of the outflowing liquid to be withdrawn, from time to time, for examination. v The discharge pipe 12, pump 13, and appurtenances are preferably heat-insulated and deliver the liquid of uniformly reduced moisture-con 7 5 liquid. The outlet of the concentrating chamber 2, is provided with a suitable regulating valve 17, and a twointo a reservoir '19, preferably heat-insulated, thereby conserving the heat and enabling the. introductionof the liquid, through pipes 20, preferably heat-insulated, into a desiccating chamber 21", as nearly as possible .at the predetermined temperature'of the liquid in the concentrating chamber 2. I

At the introduction of the' liquid into the desiccating chamber it is subdivided .into .minute particles, by forcing it through oneor more spraying devices 22,

preferably by means of apressure device, as a pump before or after entering the pump 24, is preferably passedthrough' a drying chamber 26, in this instance, supplied with a cooling medium by means of ,which part of the moisture of the air may be precipitated bycondensation, and the air is then heated and expanded a'heater 27, thereby materially increasing its desiccating power avidity for moisture previous to its introduction into the desiccating chamber. i i

The drying chamber 26, is provided with a standpipe 28, havinga valve 29, wh-ichis closed, upon the initial introduction of air into the drying chamber, to prevent the escape of the air to atmosphere through the stand-pipe 28, and opened as soon'as sufiicient water has collected in the drying chamber to fill the stand pipe, which is tall enough to hold a column oi water capable of substantially counterbalancing the air I pressure within the drying chamber, whereupon the excess of water isfree to drip continuously from the open end of the stand-pipe. q I

Part of the dry powder r'esultingfrom desiccation may gravitate into a receptacle 30, having an outlet 31, provided witha rotary gate 32, which may be operated manually,'or by any. available ,power to automatically dischargethe dryaproduct'into a receptacle 33, while the 'moisture-laden air is passed through an air-pervious screen, as boltingcloth, which practically confines within certain limits the balance of the dry solids so that they may be collected and removed automatically, or at the will ofthe attendant.' Thesesolids may be separated from the moisture-laden air. in a rotarydust-collector, consisting of, in this instance, four tubular screen-partitions 34, communicating through openings 35, with th interior of the desiccating chamber, each tubular s cm having its outer end closed by a head 36, which is movable radially against the action oi-springs 37'. This dust-collector is rotated intermittingly,one-quarter turn at a time, by suitable gears 38, one of which, as-the driving gear,. is mutilated in such manner as, when rotated continuously,. to cause the openings 35, of the screen-partition s,'to be successively brought into registration with the open side ofa receptacle 39, inwhich is movable a is mutilated in such manner as to actuate the beater,

{screw conveyer 4 0, ior the purpose of removing the powder into a chute 4l, whence it may discharge through a-self-closing' valve 42, into a'receptacle (not-shown.) The mutilated driving gear 38, permits the screenpartitions to remain at rest while oneoi-them, cut off fromithe desiceating chamber, is discharging'into the -receptacle 39, and the others, in communication with the desiccating chamber, are permitting the escape of the moisture-laden air, and the desiccated product.

The powder, which may'adhere to the sides of the discharging screen-partition, is removed, partly by agitation, and partly by suction, the agitating means consisting of a beater 43,, acting upon the head 36, through the medium of a spring 44, and an operating rod 46, which is actuated by a revolving toothed rack 46, on the maindriving shaft, as 47. This toothed rack while the screen-partitions are 'at rest, and to cease such action immediately beforethe next quarter-rotation of the dust-collector. V

The removal ot'the powder'iromthe discharging screen-partition is facilitated by a suction-pump 48, having its inlet communicating with the interior of the receptacle 39,- and its outlet communicating, through ajconduit 49, with the interior of thedesiccating chamber, the mouth of the chute"41, being providedfwith a self-closing valve 42, toprevent neutrali- Zation of the suction.

collecting and retaining sedans turned to the drying chambcr26, whence, its moisthe desiccating chamber, and for this purpose the dustscollector is inclosed in a suitable casing 50, havmunicate with atmosphere,

branches, is placed a rotary valve or 'gate55, which may be adjusted to open communication between the cation hetween the pump 24, and atmosphere or such valve may .be adjusted to open communicationbe tween the outlet 51, and atmosphere, through the I branch 53,, and to establish similar communication betweenthe branch 52, and the branch .54, saidvalve being adjustable to any intermediate position to open communication between both the pump, and the interior of the casing 50, and atmosphere.

22, said pump being also connected to the conduit 25,

27. By adjusting these valves to admix the dry heated air with the dry cool air, -airof any desired temperature -may be furnished to spraying devices 22, or atmospheric air may be drawn through a supplementary valved conduit 57.- I

nected by a valved pipe 64, to one'oi the pipes 61, which is preferably heat insulated.

voir 58, nearly to .the' predetermined temperature, and it may then be introduced into the concentrating chamber 2, or, by closingcommunication with concentratchamber, its temperature is considerably'reduced by troduced to desiccate-liquids, the solids of which would be impaired, if heated to such temperature in the original liquid state; as, for example, in the desiccation of milk, air oi a temperature of from 300 F. to 400 F. may be used successfully, the-air being reduced in temperature by the vaporization of the moisture, to from 140 F. to 200 F., both of these latter temperatures being above the coagulating point of the mill;-

ture having been reduced, it is again introduced into It may be desired to separate from the colloids, the. crystalloids of liquids, like buttermilk and whey,

Y The temperature of the liquid may be raised in reser- Upon the introduction of the, air into the desiccati'ng the rapid vaporization of the moisture-content of the.

spray, so that air of a very high temperature may be in- In some instances, the moisture-laden air is reing an outlet 51,- terminating in three branches, 52, 53,, and 54, the branch 52, leading to the inlet of the 7 pump 24, while the other branches 53, and 54, com-' At the junction of these outlet 51, and the 'branch 52, cutting off cornmuni- 1 i "fl-he'pump;.23,.is connected, through a valved con- 'duit, to the conduit 25, to enable dry heated air from I the drying chamber 26, to pass into the pump 23, whence it may be forced-through the spraying devices by an auxiliary valved conduit 56, avoiding-theheater agent, as steam, through a valved inlet pipe'63. The supply-pipe leading from'the reservoir 58, is also con- .ing chamber 2, the heated liquid may be passed at once into reservoir 19, -ior desiccation, as above set albumen, but below the temperature at which milksugar is caramelized, without impairing in any degree the original chemical or physical structure of the solids.

Air lower in temperalure than normal atmospheric air may be introduced into the desiccating chamber, the heating device then serving, without heating said air above normal atmospheric temperature, onlyto expand it and increase its desiccating power, after it has been cooled and dried in the drying chambers; as, for example, nitrogen-fixing bacteria may be cultivated in sterilized skim milk and this liquid sprayed into and commingled with dried air at a temperature oi, for

oleaginous constituent to be rendered or melted out owing to the cooling effect produced on the solids;. as,

for example, the butteriat in cream retains its'original globular form when the cream is reduced to dry powder, or castor oil may be emulsified with gum arabic and the liquid reducedto a dry powder, so retaining the oils that the powder is not greasy. The temperature of the air with which the driedpowder comes in contact is preferably, but not necessarily, below the melting point of the, oleaginous constituent; as for example, milk, containing its full naturalbutterfat constituent, may be reduced to powder which, when dry, may be exposed to temperatures as high as 212 F. .without changing the globular form of its butteriat.

The removal of the moisture and consequent cooling of the solids are accomplishedin such instantaneous manner I as to prevent self-impairment of the solids owing to the concentration 5f for example, active nonvolatile constituents; 'as, for illustration, lactic acid in milk is prevented from combining appreciably with the salts of the milk during the evaporation of the moisture and consequent concentration of the acid. I

it will be observed from the foregoing description that by reason ofthe preliminary removalof a considerable percentage of the moisture of the milk or other substance treated, as by concentration, atoms of the material while in theformof spray'contain so small a percentage of moisture that such moisture can be and is instantly taken up by the air or gas in the dry. state in which the latter enters the chamber 21. From this it follows that-the atoms need be subjected to; the action of the heated air orgas only for an ex-. ceedingly brief *period of time. Owing to the exceedingly short time of such action, and to thefact that the.

,heat of the air or gas is in great. measureoffset orneutralizedb y the cooling effect of the rapid evaporation of the moisture, produced by the heated air or gas, it

is entirely. practicable to use such air or gas at a tem perature much'higher than could be employed were the substancenot first deprived of much of its moisture, treated while in the highly divided state, and promptly removed from the heated air or gas. In other words," the preliminary concentration so far. reduces the percentage of liquid constituents that very brief treatment by the heated air or gas will remove substan-' tially. all the moisture that remains; the cooling'effect of the rapid evaporation will .p'reventsexcessive heat? ingot the solid constituents during such treatment though the temperature be such as would effect a sterilization, results which would be producedlwere the solid constituents subjected for any considerable time to a temperature such as is employed in this process. p

The percentage of moisture to'be removed by the preliminary concentration cannot be stated in precise terms for all substances, nor in fact for any given substance, for the reason that the percentage" of liquid or vaporizable and of solid constituents varies more or less in different lots of a given substance. Speaking generally, however, it is found expedient to bring the substance by preliminary treatment to a substantially viscid condition, so that the moisture remaining in any given atom or globule of the spray shall be only such as can be removed during-the rapid passage of such atom or particle through the desiccating chamber.

As an example, with whole milk of good averagequality, it has been found that the best results are attained where it is concentrated to a density of from 14 to 15 Baum. Fairresults are attainable with a preliminary concentra- "concentrated mass into a fine spray,-bringing such sprayinto a curreiit of dry air or gas having an avidity for molsture so that substantially all the remainingliquid constituents are separated thereby, conveying the dry powder into a. suitable collecting space away from the air or gas current, and discharging the air or gas separately from the dry powder. I

2. The process of obtaining the solid constituents of liqnids and semi-liquids, in the form of powder, which pro'cess consists in concentrating the substance by removing a large percentage of water therefrom, converting the con-' centrated mass into a spray, bringing such spray into 'a current of dry heated air or gas having an avidity for the moisture of the substance treated, retaining the atoms momentarily in said current so tha tsubstantially all the remaining moisture is converted into vapoi andthe product is-prevented by the cooling eflfect of-such evaporation from undergoingv chemical change, "conveying the dry powder.

into a suitable collecting space away from the vaporizing dry powder.

current, and discharging the air or gas separately from the In, witness whereof-we have hereunto set our hand this day. of August 1906.

IRYING'S. MERRELL. I 4 I WILLIAM- B. GERE. Witnesses:

H. E. Cussn, I Howsnn P; Dmusou,

Lewis G. MnBRnL'n; 

